Bulldog art was one of the first examples of canine art that was developed among Western artists. This type of art has documented the evolution of this canine breed, allowing people to see how these majestic creatures have evolved over time from bull-baiting hounds to loveable pets.
Because of the popularity and widespread breeding of bulldogs, there are a variety of modern breeds available for dog lovers, as well as artists who are interested in depicting them. All of these breeds have their own unique qualities, especially in artwork. The English bull dog is the most common subject of bulldog canvas art; however, it isn't the only one by far. 'Frenchies', or French bulldogs, and American bulldogs are also highly popular among modern artists.
The breed that is known as the English bull dog today is considerably different than the original bulldog. This difference can be seen in the bulldog artwork by Arthur Heyer titled 'Painting of a Bulldog'. Other artists like Philip Reinagle also depicted traditional bulldogs in their work. It actually wasn't until the original bulldog breed was bred with pugs that the modern image of the iconic bulldog emerged, with its short stature and wrinkly face. Ironically, the activity for which bulldogs are named, bull-baiting, is something that modern bulldog breeds are incapable of doing.
Bulldog pop art has steadily grown in popularity as canine art has become more widespread among modern audiences. Artists who focus on dog prints can choose to focus on one breed of bulldog or on several. For example, David Bromstad did a series of silhouette posters depicting the French bulldogs, which were known affectionately as 'Frenchy', while bypassing other breeds.
Dean Russo, on the other hand, chose to depict several different styles of bulldog in his dog artwork. His works feature English bulldogs, American bulldogs, and French bulldogs with equal amounts of style and flair. Like the graffiti artists from which Russo takes his inspiration, he usually draws them facing forward, although occasionally he'll make an exception to this rule.
